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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24645163">polyphony</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/espurred/pseuds/espurred'>espurred</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Trinity Prophecy - Marissa Kinzel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Theatre, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 02:33:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,213</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24645163</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/espurred/pseuds/espurred</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>While many enjoyed the theater at its loudest, at its most spectacular, with resounding voices, ringing music, dances so intense each footstep shook the building to its very foundation…</p><p>While many enjoyed much of that, Neros preferred it when it was quiet.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Leof/Neros, Neros &amp; Anthea (The Trinity Prophecy)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>polyphony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>HEHEHE FIRST FIC FOR THE FANDOM........ if you're one of my subscribers who reads all of my fics even without knowing the fandom (ily guys), pls read <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Trinity-Prophecy-Marissa-Kinzel/dp/0578688506/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1">the trinity prophecy by marissa kinzel</a> IT'S SUCH A GOOD BOOK AND I WROTE THIS FANFIC IMMEDIATELY OK PLEASE READ</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>While many enjoyed the theater at its loudest, at its most spectacular, with resounding voices, ringing music, dances so intense each footstep shook the building to its very foundation…</p><p>While many enjoyed much of that, Neros preferred it when it was quiet.</p><p>There was something special about the serenity of the theater at night. Neros felt like he could hear it breathing if he focused hard enough, and as silly as it was, he always listened for it. He’d felt connected to theatre since he was young, and he could only assume something so wonderful <em> had </em>to be alive. And so, it breathed, and even if the breaths he heard were his own, it was enough.</p><p>The stage was dim, illuminated by the dying fluorescents overhead. It was strange, how they always seemed to be on despite how adamant the lighting director was at making sure they were turned off before every rehearsal. Nonetheless he was grateful. It saved him the trouble of having to ask for a fluorescent key to stay and practice late.</p><p>He’d been doing this a lot lately. Staying late, that is. It wasn’t that he necessarily <em> needed </em>the extra practice; Neros was well-versed in the world of musicals and leading roles that a normal amount of practice was perfectly fine. He just always liked to practice a little extra. It soothed him to have the certainty of knowing he was doing everything the best he could be.</p><p>He stood slightly off-center, in position for one of the later numbers in the show. It was the song where he and Anthy—</p><p>Well, not Anthy, really. It was where Anthy’s <em> character </em>and his realize they’re in love, right after a falling out with each other. They sang in counterpoint, both characters being separated on either end of a river of stars at that point in the show. Anthy held long, hypnotizing notes typical of a female lead, while Neros sang shorter, more frantic lyrics. He thought it was hilarious, honestly. Anthy didn’t particularly hold stereotypical female leads in high regard, but she fit this character better than anyone else Neros could have thought of.</p><p>He paced back and forth, trying to get back in character. Neros’s character was a rather nervous fellow. He was slightly charming because of his nervousness, and Neros had a hard time grasping how he was main character material when the musical first started rehearsing. He figured the anxiousness was what motivated his character to set the plot in motion.</p><p>It always took a few moments to get into the mind of his character, but as soon as he did, Neros started the song. He sang the first verse, always, and he waited for Anthy to sing her part to cue his next blocking, always.</p><p>Which is why he always paused when he practiced alone, forgetting that Anthy never stood to practice with him.</p><p>He recovered and continued, remembering the notes his director had given him before he started singing again. Breah support. It was always the breath support that got Neros with this song; he was moving too much and singing too fast to actually have many chances to breathe, and—</p><p>And Neros was really having trouble breathing, because now someone was singing<em> with </em> him when Anthy was supposed to start (or not start, technically), and he stumbled a bit trying to see who it was.</p><p>Across the stage, more or less in Anthy’s spot, stood the set designer. He looked a little angry, like he always sort of did, but Anthy’s part was pouring from his lips, and it was <em> beautiful. </em> Neros recovered quickly in order to finish the song, but he couldn’t stop staring at the set designer— <em> Leof, </em> Neros could barely remember that his name was <em> Leof— </em> and he couldn’t stop getting quiet just to have a better chance at listening to the silky smooth voice he’d been <em> robbed </em>of his entire theatrical career.</p><p>Neros couldn’t quite catch his breath when he was finished. Everything was catching up to him, and he couldn’t help but pant and hold his stare.</p><p>“That was beautiful!” Neros said first, immediately followed by the next thing on his mind. “Wait… Why are you here?”</p><p>Leof twirled a ring of keys around his fingers. “I can’t leave until everybody else is gone.”</p><p>Neros’s eyes searched Leof’s face as the weight of his words settled on Neros shoulders fully. If Leof couldn’t leave until everybody else left… Well, the fluorescents were always on whenever Neros was around… So it must have been Leof keeping them on or turning them off… Which meant…</p><p>“Have you been hearing me do that every night?” Neros asked, cheeks flushing. “I’m so sorry! If I would have known you’d have to stay, I wouldn’t have… I wouldn’t have…”</p><p>“Whatever,” Leof rolled his eyes. “I’m usually here later than you, anyway, but I got done early this time. You always stop whenever she’s not here, and I just wanted you to hurry up.” He paused. “I don’t sing. I couldn’t care less about this musical. Just go home so I can.”</p><p>Neros nodded slowly. He retreated to the edge of the stage where he’d placed his rehearsal bag. He shouldered it, slightly heavy with water and clothes and dance shoes, and straightened up to find Leof in the same spot, staring at him with eyebrows raised.</p><p>“Go on.”</p><p>“Are you always alone when you’re here so late?” Neros asked, adjusting the bag to his other shoulder instead.</p><p>“There’s you,” was all Leof had to offer. When Neros continued to stare at him, a little expectantly, he added, “I have too few stagehands to be able to go home early, and they’re not willing to stay as late as I need them to.”</p><p>“Oh.” That wasn’t good. Their set was rather complicated for this show, as it took place across multiple fantastical locations. “Do you need help?”</p><p>“Go home,” Leof said immediately, dismissing Neros with a wave of his hand as he turned towards the shop.</p><p>When Neros didn’t move, he waited. He waited and turned and repeated himself and watched Neros walk all the way down the aisle and out the door. Neros lingered by the door for a moment, wondering if he’d be able to catch more of Leof’s beautiful voice, but his own exhaustion drew him towards the exit. He felt weighed down, magnified by the biting chill outside, and he really had no choice but to go home.</p><p>⏦ ❄ ⏦</p><p>Neros was back again the next rehearsal night anyway. And the next, and the next, and the next, and he never saw Leof again even once, and he really, really wanted to.</p><p>He was going to tonight, no matter what it took.</p><p>He sang his usual rotation at first, paying careful attention to his volume. He tried to project his voice to the corners of the theatre, but this time, he tried to send it back towards the shop. And for once, he felt like he was filling the entire space without needing a microphone to support him.</p><p>He quieted eventually, taking a long drink of his water. Maybe if he was quiet enough, Leof would think he’d gone home already.</p><p>...But the formerly comforting silence became deafening, and Neros couldn’t stop his legs from venturing stage right. He ducked under the garage door-like opening of the shop when he saw the light was on, wrinkling his nose at the odd smell of sawdust and metal.</p><p>Leof sat on the floor in front of a… well, a <em> thing. </em>Neros didn’t know how to describe the structure in the slightest, but it was raised on a small platform, and Leof looked like he was testing how different wheels would look on it.</p><p>“What is that?” Neros asked, and Leof startled.</p><p>“Jesus! I thought you’d gone home.” He didn’t look up from his work, setting down one wheel to test another. “It’s a pentagrammic antiprism. For the stream of stars.”</p><p>“A pentagrammic antiprism,” Neros echoed. “I see.”</p><p>Leof didn’t say anything else, so Neros carefully sat beside him. Leof… strangely, didn’t seem to mind, and he continued fitting different wheels until he was going back and forth between the same two.</p><p>“The first one squeaks no matter what I do to it,” Leof said, setting it down in favor of the other, “but this one doesn’t have the look I wanted.”</p><p>Was… Was Leof asking for Neros’s opinion?</p><p>“Well, the song might not be loud enough to mask the squeaking,” Neros said.</p><p>Leof hummed in response, but said nothing. He stood and brought the drill over, and Neros scooted back. He watched as Leof carefully drilled holes into the panta… the peca…</p><p>“What was it called again?” Neros asked.</p><p>“Pentagrammic antiprism.” Leof reached for a box of tools next to him, twisting something on to the wheel to keep it on. Neros wished he knew enough about sets to be able to put a name to things, but he never found himself working directly with it.</p><p>“Pentagrammic antiprism,” Neros said it again, and this time he felt like he would remember for sure. “Do you need help?”</p><p>“Do you know how to help?”</p><p>Well, Neros couldn’t say he did.</p><p>“I thought not.” Leof drilled the next batch of holes in before he looked over at Neros again. “Don’t you have somewhere to be?”</p><p>“Sorry.” Neros stood up, dusting the sawdust off his pants. “Um… I’ll see you tomorrow.”</p><p>Silence.</p><p>“Have a good night!”</p><p>More silence.</p><p>Neros felt slightly defeated as he left, but he couldn’t say he didn’t make progress. That was a lot more words than the other day, and that was good! Maybe Neros could build up to more words, and after that, maybe he’d be able to hear more of Leof’s singing…</p><p>That was the goal, then. By the end of this whole thing, Neros would hear Leof sing again.</p><p>⏦ ❄ ⏦</p><p>It had gotten easier and easier to go to the shop after rehearsals. The more Neros did it, the less he felt like he was intruding. Leof started to expect him, even, sitting slightly to the right or left of whatever he was working on so Neros would have a space to sit.</p><p>The pentagrammic antiprisms seemed to have been going well. Neros had watched Leof build a few more of them, each fitted with the same wheels. He only accepted Neros’s help when he had moved on to decorating them.</p><p>That had been fun. They spent a few nights painstakingly cutting out and gluing foil triangles to each face of each structure. The cutting wasn’t too bad, but fitting them and gluing them was torture. Neros made sure to hold his tongue, though. He’d commented on the wood shavings on the floor before, and the next night, Leof had cleared a chair for him to sit on. Neros didn’t take the silent offer; it felt strangely distant to sit up on a chair while Leof was working.</p><p>“I’m done gluing this one,” Neros said, moving to the sink to wash the glue off of his hands. He’d quickly learned that the best way to spread the glue was in fact with his hands, and not with the brush he’d tried his best to use. “Now what?”</p><p>“You can go home if you want.”</p><p>That was what Leof had taken to saying lately, instead of the gruff <em> go home </em>Neros had gotten used to. Neros had been rather delighted when he noticed the change.</p><p>He hung back, however, wanting to see the next step on these structures. Leof had made a paint mixture earlier in the night, but Neros hadn’t gotten the chance to take a look at it. He tiptoed just behind Leof, finally able to see the side that had been hidden from him the whole night.</p><p>It was stunning. Leof had begun painting a thin coat of powdery blue on it. The paint looked glittery and, combined with the foil, shone. Neros felt like he was staring into another galaxy when he looked at it.</p><p>“Wow…” was all Neros could say.</p><p>“Yep.” Leof stood, stepping past Neros to get to the sink. He began washing the brush he was using. “After this, I’m adding some purple. That’ll go on all of them, and then they’re done.”</p><p>“They’re gorgeous!” Neros beamed, finally finding the right words to say. “They’re really gonna look like they’re from another world under the lights.”</p><p>“...Thanks.” Leof turned away from Neros for a second. “Why don’t you ever go home when I tell you to?”</p><p>Neros shrugged, even though Leof wasn’t looking. He scrambled for an answer, because flat-out saying <em> I really want to hear you sing again </em>didn’t seem like something Leof would want to hear.</p><p>“It’s cold,” he blurted, and it was true. It was nearly November, and a biting chill had set well into the air. “I hate walking to my car when it’s so cold, so I kinda try to drag it out.”</p><p>Leof finally looked at him again, really studying him. He sighed, crossing to the drafting table, and tossed Neros the jacket that had been sitting on the back of the chair.</p><p>“Probably because all you’ve got is that sweatshirt,” Leof scoffed. “Just take it.”</p><p>“But—”</p><p>“Take it. You have to go home, don’t you?”</p><p>“Well, yes, but what about you? Don’t you need it?”</p><p>Leof shrugged. “I don’t get cold easily. If it makes you happy, I’ll walk you to your car. Just give it back before you get in.”</p><p>Neros flushed. Well, <em> he </em>didn’t really get cold easily either, but it’d be rude not to accept now, right? Neros wasn’t even sure Leof had ever shown that side of him to anyone else in existence. He always wore the same, slightly annoyed expression. If Neros was the only person allowed to see this, then he couldn’t risk throwing it away.</p><p>Leof’s jacket was really comfortable. It was heavy and warm and smelled like marshmallows. It was just a little too big on Neros, but it certainly did help him feel better walking in the cold. Or maybe what felt better was Leof walking with him, just close enough that Neros could feel his warmth.</p><p>Realizing that sent an odd feeling shooting through Neros’s chest. Why did he like it so much? When did he start liking Leof so much? They hadn’t even known each other for that long, so why…</p><p>“Trade.” Leof held out Neros’s bag. “It’s like you have rocks in there or something.”</p><p>Neros tossed the bag into the passenger seat. That was the least of his concerns right now! He slipped the jacket off his shoulders, and suddenly, he wondered if he really did know how to handle the cold well, because now it felt <em> really </em>cold, and Leof was staring at him, actually, and Neros figured he had to say something.</p><p>“Um. Thanks!” He smiled, and he could have sworn Leof’s face was as pink as his own felt. Maybe it was the cold. It had to be the cold. “Have a good night, okay?”</p><p>“You, too,” Leof said, pulling on his jacket. “Drive safe.”</p><p>That was new—all of that was new, and Neros thought he was going to die. He felt like he wasn’t really focusing until he reached the stop sign just before turning onto the main road from the theater, and he stopped for way longer than he needed to. He stopped, held his face in his hands, and he <em> couldn’t stop smiling. </em></p><p>⏦ ❄ ⏦</p><p>“So what’s your favorite set? Out of all the ones you’ve worked on?”</p><p>They’d been done with the set for a while now.</p><p>They’d been done with the set for a <em> while </em>now, and yet the two of them still remained in the theatre, much past the end of rehearsal. They hadn’t even finished the set earlier that night. They’d finished the set a few days ago, and it seemed like they were both still there under the pretense of cleaning up.</p><p>But Neros didn’t know what else they had to clean up. Currently, they were reorganizing the nuts for a third time. There were only three compartments for three different types of nuts, but for some reason, they needed to be reorganized.</p><p>Neros didn’t mind. It didn’t seem like Leof did, either.</p><p>“My favorite, huh?” Leof asked, handing Neros another nut to place in the correct compartment. They were going one-by-one. “I like ones with multiple parts to them. It’s boring if it’s just one structure that never moves.”</p><p>“Even if they’re harder?”</p><p>“Yeah.” Leof dropped the last nut in himself. “I really enjoyed working on this one.”</p><p>Neros felt his cheeks burn. He knew it was a compliment. Knew it for sure, as he’d spent the past few weeks learning how to navigate Leof. He never seemed to give praise directly. They were always workarounds, and Neros got <em> really </em>good at drawing them out.</p><p>That didn’t mean they got any easier to deal with.</p><p>“Me, too.” Neros said.</p><p>And then it was quiet. Which was rather unusual, lately, now that both of them had gotten used to talking to each other. Neros knew it was because they were both prolonging the inevitable.</p><p>It was likely their last night together like this. Tech week started the next day, and once the show closed… Once the show closed, they didn’t really have anything tethering them to each other. Neros was afraid they’d drift apart. That was how it always seemed to happen. He’d tell his show friends to keep in touch, and they would, for a while. But slowly they’d stop, and Neros would never see them again until they were in another show together.</p><p>And usually, he was fine with that. But with Leof, it was different. With Leof, Neros didn’t want the show to end. He didn’t care how many times he’d have to do the same performance. If it meant continuing to see Leof regularly, then Neros would do it. He’d do it again and again and again until the end of time.</p><p>“You should get going,” Leof said, finally. “Early start tomorrow.”</p><p>“You, too,” Neros pointed out. “First time you get to direct your stagehands.”</p><p>“That’ll be a trip,” Leof said.</p><p>They closed everything up together. Neros took a lap of the building and turned off all the lights while Leof took care of the things in the shop that Neros still didn’t quite know how to do.</p><p>Well, that was what they usually did. But tonight, Leof joined Neros in his slow lap around the building. Neros felt like he was dragging his feet in the backstage hallway, peering into the dressing rooms knowing full well the lights had been off in there for a while.</p><p>They’d even been slow walking out to Neros’s car that night, even though it was December and <em> freezing </em>and it was too much for even Neros to handle. He felt like his nose was going to fall off as they said their goodnights, and not even blasting the heat was helping how oddly cold he felt inside.</p><p>It wasn’t until Neros was safe in his bed, texting Leof to ask if he got home okay, that he realized he still had one more shot at another moment with him. Just one more shot, and he had to make it count.</p><p>⏦ ❄ ⏦</p><p>The show had gone by in a blur.</p><p>Neros hardly got to see Leof at all during tech week, though he supposed that was to be expected. Neros’s late practices had paid off immensely. The director didn’t pick on him too hard, and he could relax knowing he wouldn’t be yelled at in the notes.</p><p>He hadn’t felt nervous at all on opening night. He’d done all of his and Anthy’s preshow rituals exactly, and he’d even gotten to see Leof for a brief moment. And it had been such a brief moment, too, and all Neros got to do was wish him good luck, and somehow, Anthy had still picked up on it.</p><p>“Him? He, like, never talks,” Anthy said as soon as Leof was out of earshot. “I’ve seriously been wondering who you’ve been fawning over. Can’t believe it’s him.”</p><p>Neros nearly choked. “How did you—?!”</p><p>Anthy shrugged. “I dunno. One day you seemed different during the duet. I figured you found someone you were singing for.”</p><p>Someone he was singing for…</p><p>A sidelong glance at Leof confirmed it. Neros was definitely singing for Leof. It’d be foolish of him to even pretend like he was singing to anybody else. </p><p>Every single show had gone off without a hitch. They’d received standing ovations every single night, and Neros actually had people waiting for him by the stage doors. That’d never happened before! He was stopped in the freezing cold every single night and asked for signatures, pictures, all the things he’d always wished to do… And he really wished he could bring everyone into the theater so they could at least feel a little warm, but he also didn’t want an angry set designer going after him if someone broke something.</p><p>And on the last night, Neros felt a little sad that it had all gone by so fast. It felt like just hours previous, he was reading through the script for the first time, meeting the cast and crew, starting the first rehearsal… and now he was at the final bow.</p><p>And it was his turn, finally, to hand the director the flowers everyone had pitched in for. He darted offstage for a moment while Anthea spoke her own words of gratitude, and he returned with another bouquet in his hands.</p><p>“Okay, guys, bear with me here,” he said, a nervous smile on his face. He could <em> feel </em> his voice shaking, so he just tried to talk louder. “I have one more gift to give out!”</p><p>Anthy clapped him on the shoulder. It was welcome encouragement as he scanned the crowd.</p><p>“A lot of you guys might not realize the effort it takes to put on a show, and that’s okay! I didn’t realize it either until a few months ago. I used to come in every day seeing a little bit more of the set done each time, and I thought it was magic. And then I actually started to help out, and… it really isn’t anything close to magic!” Neros laughed, finding comfort in the shared laughter that rippled throughout the audience.</p><p>“Basically, it’s a lot of hard work done by really good people. A really smart person, actually, who’s a lot kinder than he looks. He’s really hardworking and stays until all odd hours of the night, and he’s one of my favorite people ever, and—” Neros cut himself off abruptly. He really thought he was going to <em> cry </em>if he spoke any longer. “Oh, I’ll just say it. Leof, are you here?”</p><p>Neros laughed again seeing Leof rush down the aisle and onto the stage. Neros held the flowers out for him, and for a moment, they felt like the only two people on Earth. Neros held Leof’s gaze without fear, memorizing the way their fingers brushed as the bouquet was passed off. The roar of the crowd brought him back to reality, and he got to hold Leof’s hand for one final bow.</p><p>⏦ ❄ ⏦</p><p>“Can we sing together one more time?”</p><p>The words tumbled out of Neros’s mouth before he could stop them. He’d hardly been saying anything as everyone cleaned up and left, but he couldn’t stop himself once he was finally alone with Leof again.</p><p>Leof looked at him, a little confused.</p><p>And now Neros really felt like he’d never be able to stop himself, because he wrote and was now about to deliver an entire monologue in the split second Leof gave him to continue talking.</p><p>“I know it hasn’t really been a super long time, but in these past few months, I learned a lot about you. And I learned that I really, really, <em> really </em>like you,” Neros said. “And you’re really smart, and I like trying to figure out what you actually mean when you say things, and I like you. And your voice is beautiful, and I really want to sing with you again, just like we did that first time.”</p><p>Leof was quiet, and for a horrifying moment, Neros felt like he had read everything completely wrong.</p><p>But that worry melted away in an instant. Leof was kissing him—or did <em> he </em>kiss Leof?—or maybe they both had done it at the same time, but they were kissing, and Neros felt so dizzy he thought he’d fall over as soon as they parted.</p><p>He didn’t, surprisingly. But it was probably because Leof kept his hands steady on Neros’s shoulders, keeping him grounded so he wouldn’t float away.</p><p>“I—Yeah,” Leof said. “Yeah.”</p><p>And that was all Neros really needed to hear. He didn’t need to hear his singing or a monologue or anything else from him. That one word was all the confirmation Neros needed.</p><p>They’d sing together again. And again and again and again.</p><p>
  <br/>
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</p><p>
  <em> polyphony </em>
</p><p>
  <em> noun </em>
</p><p>
  <em> combining a number of parts; each part may be a different melody or rhythm, but they come together to form a perfect harmony </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>THANK YOU FOR READING!!!!!! please talk to me on <a href="https://twitter.com/mezzosaka">twitter</a>!!!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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